Our Estates team completed upgrades of the cadet centres in Biggleswade and Leavesden Green, North Watford this month for the benefit of the young people in the Army Cadets and Air Cadets, and the adult volunteers who train them.
Leavesden Green Detachment and 2F (Watford ) Squadron Air Training Corps are now based at the new Joint Cadet Centre in Leavesden Green, while Biggleswade Detachment and 2065 Squadren ATC now call the Biggleswade Cadet Centre home.
Deputy Lord Lieutenant Andrew Wallis MBE officially opened the Biggleswade Cadet Centre on the 7th October 2023. Our new Chief Executive, Colonel Leona Barr-Jones VR attended the event, which was also well attended by local families . Col Barr-Jones said: “We are delighted to be able to provide this facility to enhance the cadet experience. We know the importance of the work the cadet force adult volunteers do in setting young people up for life-long success, and the new cadet centre will help them inspire our cadets to achieve great things.”
Then on Saturday 14th October 2023, HM Lord-Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, Mr Robert Voss CBE CStJ unveiled the newly refurbished Joint Cadet Centre in Leavesden Green, the new home to 3 Company Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Army Cadet Force’s Leavesden Green Detachment and 2F (Watford ) Squadron Air Training Corps.
East Anglia RFCA Deputy Chief Executive Lt Col Alison Falcon MBE RLC was at the event, finding out from the cadets first-hand what the investment into their premises means to them, what they liked about their new premises and what their aspirations are for their cadet experience.
At both events, guests on the day were able to tour the buildings and see examples of various activities the two organisations offer the youth of their local areas. Speaker presentations by cadets and adult volunteers highlighted the opportunities on offer through the cadet organisations.
This project is part of the RFCA Estate Optimisation Programme (REOP). REOP is a major Defence investment which aims to optimise the “Volunteer Estate” (comprising the Army Reserve Centres and Cadet Centres owned and managed by the RFCA on behalf of the MOD) to be more efficient, and to change from a historic footprint to one that supports today’s demands. This building project has created a modern, fit-for-purpose location where each group has their own dedicated space, plus the use of the shared spaces on their respective training dates.